Fitzgerald Cecilio

New York Giants teammates fully understand defensive end Osi Umenyiora's decision to sit out the team's voluntary offseason workouts due to a contract dispute.

Linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka said Umenyiora has been under contract in a bad deal for years and this matter should have been handled by the Giants a long time ago.

"I understand his frustration," Kiwamuka told espn.com, which reported that the Giants and Umenyiora are very far apart in the negotiations.

"I think he's outplayed that contract in today's market and how some of these defensive ends are getting paid lots of money, I think he deserves to get paid," another teammate Justin Tuck told Jim Rome of CBS Sports News.

"I'm rooting for him to end his career as a Giant," Tuck added. "But you also understand the business aspect of things and at the end of the day, I just hope everything works out for him and his family and the Giants."

The defensive end is set to earn just under $4 million in the final year of the seven-year, $41 million deal he signed in 2005.

Umenyiora criticized the team for offering a guarantee amounting to just half of the $10.95 million guaranteed money Kiwanuka received when he signed a three-year extension amounting to $21.75 million.

He also lambasted Giants general manager Jerry Reese for making him look greedy for turning down the offer.

Umenyiora is seeking an extension similar to the deals signed by Philadelphia's Trent Cole and Indianapolis' Robert Mathis.

Cole inked a four-year extension worth $48.525 million, including $15 million guaranteed while Mathis' new four-year extension is worth $36 million, with $17 million guaranteed.

The Super Bowl champs tried to trade Umenyiora during the draft but there were no takers.

Kiwanuka is hoping that all ends well for Umenyiora and the Giants. "As a player, you empathize with him and hope it gets done," he said.

Giants Teammates Empathize with Osi Umenyiora Holdout - NFL 2012